{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/clergy-conduct-measure-2026/section-20",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/clergy-conduct-measure-2026/section-20.json",
  "legislation": "ukcm/2026/1",
  "legislation_title": "Clergy Conduct Measure 2026",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/clergy-conduct-measure-2026",
  "path": "section/20",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "20",
  "heading": "Referral of complaint",
  "text": "(1) The responsible bishop or, in the case of a complaint against an archbishop, the President of Tribunals, having received a complaint, must refer it to—\n(a) a lead assessor, and\n(b) if the case comes within subsection (2) or (3), also to the persons to whom it is required to be given by that subsection.\n(2) If conduct alleged in the complaint would, if proved, amount to the commission of an offence, the complaint must, in so far as it relates to that alleged conduct, be referred to the police unless the alleged conduct has already been referred to the police.\n(3) If conduct alleged in the complaint involves a child or vulnerable adult but the complaint was not made by the diocesan safeguarding officer or the national director of safeguarding and the alleged conduct has not already been referred to that officer or the national director, the complaint must be referred—\n(a) if it is against a priest or deacon, to the diocesan safeguarding officer;\n(b) if it is against a bishop or archbishop, to the national director of safeguarding.\n(4) Where a complaint is referred to the diocesan safeguarding officer under subsection (3)(a), that officer becomes a party to the complaint.\n(5) Where a complaint is referred to the national director of safeguarding under subsection (3)(b), either the national director or a member of the national safeguarding team nominated by the national director becomes a party to the complaint.\n(6) Where there is more than one lead assessor on the panel of assessors, the question of which of them to make the referral to under subsection (1)(a) is determined in accordance with the rules.\n(7) The rules must make provision as to the role of the diocesan safeguarding officer in the case of a complaint made by that officer or to which that officer becomes a party by virtue of subsection (4).\n(8) The rules must make provision as to the role of the national director of safeguarding or of a member of the safeguarding team nominated under subsection (5) in the case of a complaint to which the national director or nominee becomes a party by virtue of that subsection.\n(9) On referring a complaint under subsection (1)(a), the responsible bishop or the President of Tribunals must give the lead assessor such information as the rules may specify.\n(10) The responsible bishop, having referred a complaint in accordance with this section and having had due regard to the Code of Practice—\n(a) must consider what support might benefit—\n(i) each of the parties to the complaint,\n(ii) people in an area where the person against whom the complaint is made has been exercising ministry and\n(iii) any other person with an interest in the complaint, and\n(b) must offer to arrange the provision of such support as the responsible bishop considers appropriate and, if the offer is accepted, arrange for the provision of that support.\n(11) In the case of a complaint against an archbishop, the functions conferred on the responsible bishop by subsection (10) are exercisable by the other archbishop.",
  "extent": "E",
  "status": "prospective",
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "I",
      "label": "I1",
      "text": "S. 20 not in force at Royal Assent, see s. 73(3)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukcm/2026/1/section/20",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T20:22:03.551412+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}